2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

[LookBackTime]

Did anyone seen this change in the order of comments (until now - Massa first, Stroll second) into the official communique?

"
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX PRACTICE
25 AUG 2017
...

Paddy Lowe, Chief Technical Officer: ...

Lance Stroll: ...

Felipe Massa: ...
"

I though it is interesting

[atheonr]

Did anyone seen this change in the order of comments (until now - Massa first, Stroll second) into the official communique?

"
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX PRACTICE
25 AUG 2017
...

Paddy Lowe, Chief Technical Officer: ...

Lance Stroll: ...

Felipe Massa: ...
"

I though it is interesting

They did the same in Azerbaijan

[SchuMassa]

From bad to worse... ffs

[LookBackTime]

Could Fernando Alonso join Williams for the 2018 Formula 1 season?
By Jonathan Noble Published on Saturday August 26th 2017

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13142 ... s-for-2018

.

[SchuMassa]

Felipe Massa has received a five-place grid penalty for Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix after a yellow-flag offence in FP3 on Saturday morning.

The Brazilian, whose weekend started disastrously with a crash in FP1 that cost him all of Friday’s running, has also received three penalty points on his licence.

Massa was reported for failing to slow for double-waved yellows during the session - and, after seeing the driver and his Williams team manager and reviewing the evidence, the FIA stewards decided to penalise Massa.

Their decision noted that they had “reviewed video/telemetry evidence which clearly showed that the driver made no attempt to significantly reduce his speed in the area of the double waved yellow flags.”

Massa might not suffer to much on the final grid as Sauber drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Marcus Ericsson both have penalties for gearbox changes, while Stoffel Vandoorne has amassed 65 places worth of grid penalties for new engine elements and a gearbox change.

[SchuMassa]

Q1:
P16: MASSA - 1:45.823
P18: STROLL - 1:46.915 (+1.092)

Says it all.
Still, it's shameful.

Lance will start P15, while Felipe P16 (as far as I'm concerned).

[atheonr]

Good job Paddy and de Beer. Last year we were struggling as well but at least we were not getting knocked out in Q1

[Carinni]

Really disastrous! But Massa showed his pace is still here, 1.1s faster than his team mate.

[SchuMassa]

Massa is very critical about the team's performance in the Brazilian press, claiming that they have been struggling all weekend, and their situation is starting to get critical because other teams have developed their cars much more efficiently than they have. According to him, Spa should suit their chassis and considering this, their performance is "very bad".

[SchuMassa]

Massa complains Williams “going backwards” on developments

Felipe Massa says that Williams is falling behind in the development race, after both its cars failed to progress from Q1 in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Massa qualified 16th at Spa, and has a five-place grid penalty for speeding under yellows in FP3. He also missed most of Friday’s running due to a crash in FP1 that ruled him out of the second session, but claimed his car “is not competitive enough”.

“It’s quite disappointing to go out of qualifying in Q1,” said Massa. “It shows that the main issues are that the car is not going forward. Others are going forward, we’re going backwards.

“It’s pretty clear that we need to improve the development, and to improve the pieces we put on the car and to make the car better, which is not what’s happening at the moment.

“I’m not used to being out in Q1 to be honest, so I wasn’t sure if it was 15th or 16th where you stay [to go through to Q2].

“Anyway, I was happy with my lap time, but the car is not competitive enough.”

Stroll: Downforce “not there”

When asked by NBC if this the new normal for Williams, Massa’s teammate Lance Stroll replied: “I hope not. I think it’s very track dependent.

“We clearly see the downforce is not there in the long corners with a lot of load, and combine entry and traction, and we’re really lacking a lot.

“That’s kind of been the case for the last few events. It’s very frustrating – it’s not where we wanna be.

“But all I can say is we’ve gotta keep working, and get rid of that.”

Stroll only ran once in Q1 due to a rear wing issue, but although he qualified 18th he will rise to 15th due to grid penalties ahead of him.

He explained: “Something broke, I think it was the endplate or something. One of those things that happens, just unlucky.

“We couldn’t go out for the second run, so that’s a shame. I don’t think there was a huge amount in it, I saw Felipe did his lap and it was only a couple of positions [ahead]. It was a shame I didn’t get the opportunity though to do a proper lap in Q1.”

[Carinni]

Really disastrous! But Massa showed his pace is still here, 1.1s faster than his team mate.

Really ??? Pace ??? Williams has a --- car (4th best car in your dreams)! Massa drove like a true MEDIOCRE DRIVER all weekend! What kind of mentally illness do you have?

I really can not stand this exaggerated optimism here.

I am not optimistic. I said it is disastrous already, and I definitely didn't mean Williams is the 4th best car. Seemed u didn't really read my words.
Williams is the second worst car obviously, but if one can be 1.1s faster than your team mate, he should be more or less extracting the most from the car, unless your team mate is simply nothing more than a taxi driver. Then it may leave to your judgement, we don't have 100% objective way to compare the driver performance between different teams.
I agree with u that Williams has a --- car, no doubt

[LookBackTime]

Some interesting info!

https://www.grandprix247.com/2017/08/26 ... ignatures/

ALONSO TO WILLIAMS DEAL JUST NEEDS SIGNATURES
Paul Velasco 26 August, 2017

Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes do not want him, with Fernando Alonso’s ambitions to join a winning Formula 1 team scuppered for 2018 he is now focusing on his next best option: a drive with Williams.

Reports in Germany (including Auto Motor und Sport, Auto Bild and other independent sources in the paddock) claim a contract for Alonso to race for Williams in 2018 is almost a done deal – only the signatures are missing.

Discussions reportedly having been ongoing since before the summer break. The Spaniard believes in the potential and future of Williams with former Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe at the helm.

Although Williams have dropped down the pecking order this season, they are already hard at work on their 2018 car which will correct the fundamental design flaws of the current FW40. The team’s engineers are working to reposition the entire rear axle and the Mercedes transmission.

This would fall in line with Force India’s solution for the Mercedes engine bolted to the VJM10, which has resulted in their car being a better piece of kit than the Williams this season.

The fact that the team has the ability to be the best of the non-works teams seems more than what McLaren – with Honda power – can offer Alonso who is containing what must be massive frustration for the plight he has been in for the past three years.

However the Spanish double F1 World Champion won’t come cheap, but this problem is sorted by the fact that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll is prepared to foot the bill of whatever salary the 36 year old will require to don a Williams race suit.

Stroll senior has pumped an estimated €40-million into Williams to further his son’s F1 career and digging out even more cash will hardly dent his considerable wallet.

Should this happen, it would provide Lance Stroll the best tutor any young driver could wish for, while ensuring that the teenager benefits from Alonso’s car development experience and technical expertise.

For Alonso it gives him access to Mercedes power which has dominated the sport for over three years, while providing his ambitions to claim a third world title a far more realistic chance than what McLaren and Honda can offer for the foreseeable future.

This year Felipe Massa only continued with the Grove outfit because Valterri Bottas was given the Mercedes seat vacated by retiring Nico Rosberg. It is clear the Brazilian veteran is no longer (was he ever?) a driver that can galvanise a team, and seems rather more intent on extending his F1 career as long as possible.

Alonso provides a much more attractive and effective alternative for Williams who have shown their intent to rebuild the team into a serious force again, this time under Lowe’s watch.

After all Williams is the third most successful team in Formula 1 history – 114 grand prix victories, nine constructors’ and seven drivers’ world championships is testament to their fine pedigree.

For McLaren it will be a major blow to lose Alonso who is a headline grabber and one of this era’s great drivers. But history will show that Woking has not been a happy place for the Spaniard.

Behind-the-scenes they are already preparing for his departure as they fast-track their young protege Lando Norris. A team insider revealed, “McLaren lets him drive everything that is possible, so he gets miles.”

At the recent Young Drivers Test in Hungary, the 17 year old Briton shone with great times and composure in the McLaren.

Big Question: Is Fernando to Williams a good move for him?

[SchuMassa]

Some interesting info!

https://www.grandprix247.com/2017/08/26 ... ignatures/

ALONSO TO WILLIAMS DEAL JUST NEEDS SIGNATURES
Paul Velasco 26 August, 2017

Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes do not want him, with Fernando Alonso’s ambitions to join a winning Formula 1 team scuppered for 2018 he is now focusing on his next best option: a drive with Williams.

Reports in Germany (including Auto Motor und Sport, Auto Bild and other independent sources in the paddock) claim a contract for Alonso to race for Williams in 2018 is almost a done deal – only the signatures are missing.

Discussions reportedly having been ongoing since before the summer break. The Spaniard believes in the potential and future of Williams with former Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe at the helm.

Although Williams have dropped down the pecking order this season, they are already hard at work on their 2018 car which will correct the fundamental design flaws of the current FW40. The team’s engineers are working to reposition the entire rear axle and the Mercedes transmission.

This would fall in line with Force India’s solution for the Mercedes engine bolted to the VJM10, which has resulted in their car being a better piece of kit than the Williams this season.

The fact that the team has the ability to be the best of the non-works teams seems more than what McLaren – with Honda power – can offer Alonso who is containing what must be massive frustration for the plight he has been in for the past three years.

However the Spanish double F1 World Champion won’t come cheap, but this problem is sorted by the fact that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll is prepared to foot the bill of whatever salary the 36 year old will require to don a Williams race suit.

Stroll senior has pumped an estimated €40-million into Williams to further his son’s F1 career and digging out even more cash will hardly dent his considerable wallet.

Should this happen, it would provide Lance Stroll the best tutor any young driver could wish for, while ensuring that the teenager benefits from Alonso’s car development experience and technical expertise.

For Alonso it gives him access to Mercedes power which has dominated the sport for over three years, while providing his ambitions to claim a third world title a far more realistic chance than what McLaren and Honda can offer for the foreseeable future.

This year Felipe Massa only continued with the Grove outfit because Valterri Bottas was given the Mercedes seat vacated by retiring Nico Rosberg. It is clear the Brazilian veteran is no longer (was he ever?) a driver that can galvanise a team, and seems rather more intent on extending his F1 career as long as possible.

Alonso provides a much more attractive and effective alternative for Williams who have shown their intent to rebuild the team into a serious force again, this time under Lowe’s watch.

After all Williams is the third most successful team in Formula 1 history – 114 grand prix victories, nine constructors’ and seven drivers’ world championships is testament to their fine pedigree.

For McLaren it will be a major blow to lose Alonso who is a headline grabber and one of this era’s great drivers. But history will show that Woking has not been a happy place for the Spaniard.

Behind-the-scenes they are already preparing for his departure as they fast-track their young protege Lando Norris. A team insider revealed, “McLaren lets him drive everything that is possible, so he gets miles.”

At the recent Young Drivers Test in Hungary, the 17 year old Briton shone with great times and composure in the McLaren.

Big Question: Is Fernando to Williams a good move for him?

Well, maybe it's only me (and because I've been supporting Massa for long years), but if it's true, then Williams have been playing with Felipe in a disgusting way. He shouldn't have come out of retirement for this. Of course it's what F1 is about, but he has smashed Lance this year, and noone couldn't have done substantially better. Still, I hope this deal doesn't happen, but I fear it will.

[Dipesh1995]

Some interesting info!

https://www.grandprix247.com/2017/08/26 ... ignatures/

ALONSO TO WILLIAMS DEAL JUST NEEDS SIGNATURES
Paul Velasco 26 August, 2017

Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes do not want him, with Fernando Alonso’s ambitions to join a winning Formula 1 team scuppered for 2018 he is now focusing on his next best option: a drive with Williams.

Reports in Germany (including Auto Motor und Sport, Auto Bild and other independent sources in the paddock) claim a contract for Alonso to race for Williams in 2018 is almost a done deal – only the signatures are missing.

Discussions reportedly having been ongoing since before the summer break. The Spaniard believes in the potential and future of Williams with former Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe at the helm.

Although Williams have dropped down the pecking order this season, they are already hard at work on their 2018 car which will correct the fundamental design flaws of the current FW40. The team’s engineers are working to reposition the entire rear axle and the Mercedes transmission.

This would fall in line with Force India’s solution for the Mercedes engine bolted to the VJM10, which has resulted in their car being a better piece of kit than the Williams this season.

The fact that the team has the ability to be the best of the non-works teams seems more than what McLaren – with Honda power – can offer Alonso who is containing what must be massive frustration for the plight he has been in for the past three years.

However the Spanish double F1 World Champion won’t come cheap, but this problem is sorted by the fact that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll is prepared to foot the bill of whatever salary the 36 year old will require to don a Williams race suit.

Stroll senior has pumped an estimated €40-million into Williams to further his son’s F1 career and digging out even more cash will hardly dent his considerable wallet.

Should this happen, it would provide Lance Stroll the best tutor any young driver could wish for, while ensuring that the teenager benefits from Alonso’s car development experience and technical expertise.

For Alonso it gives him access to Mercedes power which has dominated the sport for over three years, while providing his ambitions to claim a third world title a far more realistic chance than what McLaren and Honda can offer for the foreseeable future.

This year Felipe Massa only continued with the Grove outfit because Valterri Bottas was given the Mercedes seat vacated by retiring Nico Rosberg. It is clear the Brazilian veteran is no longer (was he ever?) a driver that can galvanise a team, and seems rather more intent on extending his F1 career as long as possible.

Alonso provides a much more attractive and effective alternative for Williams who have shown their intent to rebuild the team into a serious force again, this time under Lowe’s watch.

After all Williams is the third most successful team in Formula 1 history – 114 grand prix victories, nine constructors’ and seven drivers’ world championships is testament to their fine pedigree.

For McLaren it will be a major blow to lose Alonso who is a headline grabber and one of this era’s great drivers. But history will show that Woking has not been a happy place for the Spaniard.

Behind-the-scenes they are already preparing for his departure as they fast-track their young protege Lando Norris. A team insider revealed, “McLaren lets him drive everything that is possible, so he gets miles.”

At the recent Young Drivers Test in Hungary, the 17 year old Briton shone with great times and composure in the McLaren.

Big Question: Is Fernando to Williams a good move for him?

Well, maybe it's only me (and because I've been supporting Massa for long years), but if it's true, then Williams have been playing with Felipe in a disgusting way. He shouldn't have come out of retirement for this. Of course it's what F1 is about, but he has smashed Lance this year, and noone couldn't have done substantially better. Still, I hope this deal doesn't happen, but I fear it will.

Considering Williams, with their Mercedes PU, are significantly slower than McLaren even at a track like Spa, there isn’t much logic for a such a move to happen. Coupled with the fact that Williams is not a works team means a move to Williams would be silly imo let alone mentioning the financial aspects of such a deal.

[Fulcrum]

If Alonso makes this move it will simply confirm he's one of the worst drivers with respect to career management. In spite of all the noise, the trajectory at McLaren is improving, and I couldn't say the same of Williams.

Of course, I mean worse in the sense of putting himself in a title winning car. He's done pretty well with respect to securing a huge salary, so perhaps he will appear in a Williams next year, Daddy Stroll bankrolling him to the tune of $50 million a year.